98 THE LION. 



pick out from the rest those of the wounded lion, I 

 observed ray native attendants suddenly rush for- 

 ward, and the next instant the jungle re-echoed with 

 shouts of triumph. Thinking they had discovered 

 the lion we were in pursuit of, I also hurried for- 

 ward ; but imagine my surprise, on emerging into 

 an opening in the jungle, when I saw, not a dead 

 lion, as I expected, but five living lions (two males 

 and three females), two of whom were in the act of 

 pulling down a splendid giraffe, the other three 

 watching, close at hand, and with devouring looks, 

 the deadly strife ! 



The scene was of so imposing a nature that, for 

 the moment, I forgot I carried a gun. The natives, 

 however, in anticipation of a glorious gorge, dashed 

 madly forward, and, with the most piercing shrieks 

 and yells, compelled the lions to beat a hasty 

 retreat. 



When I reached the giraffe, now stretched at full 

 length on the sand, it made a few ineffectual 

 attempts to raise its neck ; its body heaved and 

 quivered for a while, and then the poor animal was 

 dead. It had received several uerp gashes about 

 the flanks and chest, from the claws and teeth of 

 its fierce assailants. The strong and tough muscles 

 about the neck were also bitten through. 



All thoughts of pursuing the wounded lion were 

 now out of the question. My natives remained 

 gorging on the carcass of the cumeleopard until it, 

 was devoured. A day or two afterwards, however, J 

 had the good fortune to fall in with my royal anta- 

 gonist, and finish him without much difficulty. 



